The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
A SHORT TRIP DOWN RIVER
A number of highly rated prospects made their way to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Saturday for Ohio State's final one-day camp of the spring, including Olentangy Orange five-star defensive end Zach Harrison. He worked out on a very limited basis but spent a majority of his time on campus attached at the hip of defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
“I like him a lot,” Harrison told reporters gathered outside of the facility following the camp. “He's a good person and more than just a good football coach. He's a great football coach, too.”
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Harrison is considered the second-best weak-side defensive end and No. 3 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he recorded 32 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, six sacks and five pass deflections on defense for the Pioneers last season. He holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, USC and Wisconsin.
Harrison said he does not have a timetable for when he'd like to make a decision. He'll reportedly visit Notre Dame this coming weekend before traveling to Oregon for Nike Football's The Opening Finals, where he'll be joined by eight Ohio State commits and several priority targets.
NEXT QUARTERBACK COMMIT?
Ohio State five-star dual-threat quarterback commit Emory Jones was also in attendance on Saturday, but it was Belleville, Michigan, Oak Park three-star Dwan Mathis who shined the brightest.
“I like the atmosphere and the competition around me,” Mathis told Eleven Warriors. “I love competing. It pushes me to a different level.”
The lanky 6-foot-4, 185-pound Mathis is considered the seventh-best dual-threat quarterback and No. 282 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. He committed to Iowa State in February over offers from Akron, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Kentucky and Toledo.
Mathis' stock has risen considerably following his MVP performance at Rivals' Three Stripe Camp in Columbus earlier this month. Schools such as Michigan State and Pittsburgh have started to take notice, as did Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day.
“They said I threw the ball well and I have natural talent,” Mathis said. “Stuff you can't teach.”
I stood just a few feet away when Mathis threw a laser to his receiver and Day turned around and said to his coach they weren't going to let him leave the facility. He's that good, and I fully expect the Buckeyes to offer him a scholarship in the coming months.
“I would love to get the offer, but I can't speak on what I would do,” Mathis said. “I would have to wait and see how the recruiting process plays out.”
SHINE BRIGHT
One of Mathis' top targets on Saturday was Detroit Martin Luther King wide receiver Rashawn Williams, who walked away from the camp with an offer in hand.
Blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University #Buckeyes @CoachZachSmith pic.twitter.com/4rhNP4jRL9
— Rashawn Williams (@troule19) June 17, 2017
“[The camp] was very competitive and interesting,” Williams told Eleven Warriors. “I was pumped up and proud that my teammates were excited for me. [The coaches] said I had the potential to be great and that I have a nice catch radius.”
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Williams is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites, but I'd be willing to bet he'll be among the highest-rated prospects in the Midwest for the Class of 2020. He already holds offers from Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Kentucky, Syracuse and Temple, and programs such as Michigan and Michigan State have kept tabs on him, as well.
THE RIVALRY CONTINUES
Louisville Trinity four-star defensive end Stephen Herron Jr. announced his Top 10 on Sunday afternoon and included Ohio State alongside Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Stanford, Tennessee and Texas.
TOP 10... pic.twitter.com/r4AOxOrKsw
— Stephen Herron, Jr (@stephenherron_) June 18, 2017
"Ohio State treats me like family, and I love the coaching staff there," Herron told Eleven Warriors. "[Coach Johnson and I] speak every week and we have a great relationship within football."
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Herron is considered the fourth-best defensive end and No. 34 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he racked up 38 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and four sacks to help the Shamrocks to the state championship last season. He's been to campus twice before, most recently for a spring practice in early April.
Herron, who you may recall started a non-profit organization to collect clothes for youth shelters in the Louisville area, plans to return for a game this fall. He's nowhere close to a final decision, but I expect the Buckeyes and Wolverines to battle for his pledge until the end.
"[The biggest factors] will be playing time, a good coaching staff, somewhere I feel like family and a good place to get my degree," Herron said.
A NAME TO REMEMBER
Canton McKinley offensive tackle Charles Turner, meanwhile, should be among the top-rated players in the state for the Class of 2019. He attended Ohio State's one-day camp last Tuesday, his second trip to campus in the last three months.
“I like it here,” Turner told Eleven Warriors. “It was a lot of good competition. Came out here and competed as hard as I can. I think I performed well against some high competition.”
The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Turner picked up his first Division I offer from Cincinnati during the Bearcats' big man camp on Saturday. Ohio State has long been his favorite school, though, and he covets an offer from the Buckeyes above all else.
“There's a lot of history here with coach Woody Hayes, and what that brings to the table. Everybody knows Ohio State is one of the best in the country, if not the best in the country,” Turner said. “I need to work on more of my handwork, my hand placement and my punches need to get a lot bigger, but Coach [Greg] Studrawa said I performed well. We'll see how things go from here.”
